The P.A. People Transform Marnkutyi Parirna Theatre

The new Marnkutyi Parirna theatre for South Australia’s Trinity College in Gawler is an excellent example of how venue engineering can maximise the usage of facilities in the education sector.

Melbourne-based Schuler Shook were invited to design the new theatre with a view to providing the school with a dual-purpose performance space with could be quickly converted from a traditional drama theatre to a concert hall with adjustable acoustics.

The P.A. People were contracted to develop the detailed design, supply and install all the staging equipment including the bespoke acoustic shell system, the motorised orchestra platform and the associated seating wagons, eighteen-line powered flying systems, lighting bars and battens, and a full set of theatrical drapery.

Acoustic Shell.

A single performance space that can provide both a live acoustic environment for orchestral performances whilst also being a space suitable for theatre productions has been a design goal of Schuler Shook for many years.  To provide a suitable acoustic environment for concerts, the Marnkutyi Parirna theatre was equipped with a deployable acoustic shell system with four massive hinged doors, which when in position form the sides and the rear of an acoustic shell. These doors are complimented by three overhead acoustic reflectors which are lowered into position on 1,500kg Theatrequip drum hoists and then rotated to provide the ceiling of the acoustic shell.  Each of the large doors and flown panels are constructed with an integral steel frame and laminated with multiple sheets of high-grade plywood and veneer to match the acoustic density specified by the consultants.

The entire conversion process from music venue to theatre can be undertaken by two people in less than 15 minutes.

Orchestra Platform 

Part of the Schuler Shook design requirements for this project was an orchestra pit equipped with a motorised platform. The platform provided by The PA People features six Serapid actuators and allows the operator to create a thrust stage level with the fixed raised stage, an auditorium level with roll-on and roll-off seating risers,  an orchestra pit level below the auditorium floor to create an orchestra pit and a lower level to that facilitates the storage of the seating wagons.

Flying System

The stage area is equipped with eighteen motorised fly lines to support the overhead acoustic reflectors, lighting bars, borders and scenery elements.  Comprising three models selected from the TheatreQuip Reference Series of hoists, the rigging system was optimised for each flown element, with each hoists selected based on the speed, drift and load for that element.

Drapery

The fit-out is complimented with a set of wool masking drapes and a stunning blue front-of-house motorised bi-parting drape.  In order to work with the acoustic shell, the legs and borders are all tracked or flown out of their normal theatre mode locations to allow for the deployment of the acoustic shell.

Overall, thanks to the vision of the team at Schuler Shook and the attention to detailed design and execution by The P.A. People’s Venue Engineering team, Trinity Grammer can now boast an exceptional multipurpose venue that will provide significant educational benefits for many years to come.